The present invention relates to analog recording systems and more particularly to high performance multichannel recording systems used under severe environmental conditions.
When it is necessary to record analog data for later analysis high performance analog tape recorders are frequently used. Very often, and particularly when used in missile systems, these tape recorders are subject to high accelerations, shock, extreme temperatures, and other severe environmental conditions. In addition, these recorders are required to withstand launch transients and maneuvering accelerations while properly recording the data. Typical analog tape recorders currently in use allow for the recordation of eight to sixteen channels of information with a recording time period on the order of one minute.
Usually, much of this one minute recording time is wasted. The recorder must be turned on before launch of the missile carrying it so that the launch transient can be recorded. Furthermore, since tape recorders depend on accurate tape transport speed, sufficient time must be allowed for the tape to obtain this speed before the data can be assumed to be reliable. In addition, the useful missile flight may be less than one minute. This would leave only the launch transient to missile burnout time as the useful data period on the one minute tape. In many cases this may be as small as five to fifteen seconds of useful data. In a typical situation, the first ten seconds are used to bring the tape transport up to speed. Useful data is recorded during the next twenty seconds and the final thirty seconds are merely tape run-off after shutdown.